NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held bilateral talks with the Presidents of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on key issues, including developmental cooperation, besides holding parleys with leaders of nine other countries on the sidelines of the solar alliance meet.
Apart from meeting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, Modi held talks with leaders from the UAE, Seychelles, Comoros, Guyana, Fiji, Djibouti, Somalia, Mali and Rwanda.
Neighbourhood first! PM @narendramodi met Sri Lankan President, Maithripala Sirisena, on his 5th visit to India as President, on the sidelines of the #ISA.
Leaders exchanged views on developmental cooperation, among other areas of bilateral cooperation," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
In his meeting with Hamid, Prime Minister Modi discussed connectivity, developmental cooperation, among other issues, he said.
Modi's first bilateral meeting of the day was with the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Bin Al Nahyan.
On the sidelines of the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the two leaders discussed trade and investment, energy, food security, among other issues of bilateral interest, Kumar said.
In his bilateral meetings with Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Seychelles President Danny Faure and Comoros President Azali Assoumani, Modi discussed cooperation in the areas of capacity building, climate change and development cooperation.
Modi also met Guyanese President David Arthur Granger and discussed ways to step up cooperation with the Caribbean nation.
Historical linkages with a friend from the Caribbean! PM @narendramodi met President of Guyana, David Arthur Granger on thesidelines of the #ISA.
Climate change, renewable energy, trade and investment, capacity building and developmental cooperation were discussed, Kumar tweeted.
On the sidelines of the conference, he also held talks with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Rwandan Presient Paul Kagame and Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled.
Modi later met Mali President Ibrahim Baoubacar Keita.
Countering terrorism was the focus of discussion during the meeting between the two leaders, Kumar said.